The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is sending out guidance to travelers on this one particularly buzzy item.
The agency is advising people to pack electric toothbrushes in a certain way so they don’t get confiscated at security screenings.
“Traveling with your electric toothbrush, or other items that buzz? If they have an installed lithium battery you should pack them in your carry-on bag,” the TSA explained in a recent post on X.
Here’s what you need to know about this TSA reminder.
Why is the TSA asking people to pack electric toothbrushes in their carry-on?
TSA is asking people to pack these items in their carry-on because they contain lithium batteries. These batteries can potentially catch fire in a checked bag.
According to Department of Transportation guidelines from 2008 that are still in place today, airlines will “continue to allow” items with “lithium batteries if they are installed in electronic devices, or in carry-on baggage if properly protected from short circuiting in their original packaging or by placing them in individual plastic bags or a protective travel case.”
Batteries that are not installed in devices are prohibited from being placed in checked luggage.
The same guidance applies to smartphones, smartwatches, laptops, tablets and other electronics containing lithium batteries, according to the Federal Aviation Administration’s PackSafe page.
You can find more information and guidelines from TSA about safe packing before your flight here.